In brief. Rhinoplasty in Lebanon — nose surgery, the operation people call a nose job — reshapes the nose: the bridge, the tip, and the airway where breathing is blocked. Dr. Vincent ElKhoury, a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon, performs open and closed rhinoplasty, including revision surgery, at Hayek Hospital and Bellevue Medical Center, after a consultation at his clinic in Mansourieh, Metn.
What is rhinoplasty?
Rhinoplasty is nose surgery. It reshapes the bridge, the tip or both, and can open a blocked airway. The approach is open, with a small cut across the strip of tissue between the nostrils, or closed, with every incision inside the nose. It is done under general anaesthetic.
Key facts
- What it is. Reshapes the bridge, the tip and, where breathing is blocked, the airway; a deviated septum or collapsed valve is corrected in the same operation.
- Approach. Open or closed rhinoplasty, chosen by what the nose needs; revision rhinoplasty is also performed.
- Anaesthesia and stay. General anaesthetic, one and a half to three hours (longer for a revision); home the same day or the next morning.
- Recovery. Splint off and back to work in the second week (day 7 to 14); others stop noticing at weeks 3 to 8; the shape is close to final at month 6, and tip swelling finishes in the second half of the first year.
- Where. Hayek Hospital and Bellevue Medical Center, after a consultation at the clinic in Mansourieh, Metn.
What does it change?
A dorsal hump is lowered; a low bridge is built up. The aim is a straight line that belongs to your face rather than one borrowed from someone else’s, which is why photographs of other people are a starting point for conversation and never a target.
The tip is refined or supported with fine sutures and, where structure is needed, your own cartilage. It is the most delicate part of the operation and the slowest to settle — the last tip swelling resolves in the second half of the first year.
A deviated septum or a collapsed valve is corrected in the same operation. Function is never traded for appearance: a nose that looks better and breathes worse is a failed rhinoplasty.
Open or closed?
In a closed approach every incision is inside the nostrils and there is no external scar. In an open approach one small incision crosses the columella, the strip of skin between the nostrils, which lifts the skin and gives direct sight of the framework underneath.
Neither is better in itself — the nose decides. Revision work, a badly deviated framework, or a tip that needs substantial rebuilding can be a reason to choose open. Either way, the work underneath is the same, and the columellar scar fades to a fine pale line.
How is the operation done?
A general anaesthetic. One and a half to three hours, longer for a revision. The hump is lowered, the bones narrowed, the tip refined with sutures and your own cartilage where support is needed.
Dissolving stitches inside, and a splint on the bridge. You go home the same day or the next morning.
Recovery
What actually happens, week by week
Recovery is part of the treatment rather than an afterthought, so it is described here in the same detail as the operation.
Day 0–2
Splint and restA splint on the bridge. Sleep propped up. Blocked breathing is normal.
Day 3–7
Bruising peaksBruising around the eyes darkens, then fades from about day four.
Day 7–14
Splint offThe nose looks swollen and upturned at this stage — that is expected. Back to work.
Week 3–8
Normal to othersOthers stop noticing; you still will. Light exercise from four weeks.
Month 6
Almost finalThe shape is close to final. Tip swelling finishes over the second half of the year.
Read also: Rhinoplasty recovery, week by week · Revision rhinoplasty: when a second operation makes sense · Open or closed rhinoplasty: how they differ · Questions to Ask a Rhinoplasty Surgeon at Your First Consultation
Honesty
Risks, and what can go wrong
Every operation has them. They are listed here because a patient who has read them and still wants to proceed is a patient who will be content afterwards.
- Prolonged swelling of the tip — the commonest cause of early disappointment, and the reason six months is the honest milestone rather than six weeks.
- Numbness of the tip for several months.
- A small irregularity of the bridge felt more easily than seen.
- One rhinoplasty in ten needs a small revision, for a minor contour issue in the majority of cases; this is discussed before the first operation, not after.
Results
His own patients
Every photograph here is of Dr. ElKhoury’s own patients, taken at the same distance under the same light, before and after, and published unretouched apart from the masking that protects identity.
Open revision rhinoplasty
Photographed the same day, before surgery and again minutes after. Swelling has not settled — this is the shape right after the operation, not the final result. Eyes are masked to protect identity; the nose and mouth are shown whole.
Profile view
Open revision rhinoplasty
Photographed the same day, before surgery and again minutes after. Swelling has not settled — this is the shape right after the operation, not the final result. Eyes are masked to protect identity; the nose and mouth are shown whole.
Profile view
Open primary rhinoplasty
Photographed the same day, before surgery and again minutes after. Swelling has not settled — this is the shape right after the operation, not the final result. Eyes are masked to protect identity; the nose and mouth are shown whole.
Profile view
Results vary between patients. Shared with consent. More cases →
Take it away
The printed sheet
Everything on this page, on two sides of A4, written for patients and free to take from the clinic. It says what the operation does, what it costs you in time, and what it does not fix.
Patient information — PDF, 2 pages
Open the sheet →Questions
What patients ask
How long until my nose looks final?
About six months for the shape to be close to final, and a full year for the last of the tip swelling. Anyone promising a final result in weeks is describing the splint coming off, not the nose settling.
Will there be a visible scar?
In a closed rhinoplasty, no — every incision is inside the nostril. In an open rhinoplasty there is one small incision across the columella, which fades to a fine pale line and is not what people notice about a nose.
Can breathing problems be fixed at the same time?
Yes, and they should be. A deviated septum or a collapsed valve is corrected during the same operation. Function is never traded for appearance.
When can I wear glasses again?
Keep them off the bridge for at least four weeks — tape them to the forehead or use contact lenses. Pressure on healing bone can move it.
How long should I take off work?
Plan two clear weeks. The splint comes off between day six and ten. Avoid anything that will be photographed for a month.
Who is a rhinoplasty surgeon in Lebanon, and where is the operation done?
Dr. Vincent ElKhoury, a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon, performs rhinoplasty in Lebanon. You are seen at his clinic on Mkalles Main Street, Mansourieh (Metn), and operated on at Hayek Hospital or Bellevue Medical Center.
How do I book a consultation?
Call or WhatsApp the clinic on +961 1 697 739, or send the consultation form on this site. The clinic is open Monday to Friday, 10:00 to 18:00. Consultations are in English, French or Arabic.
How long is recovery after rhinoplasty?
Plan two clear weeks away from work: the splint stays on for six to ten days. The nose still looks swollen and upturned once the splint is off — that is expected. It reads as normal to others by three to eight weeks, but the shape keeps changing for six months, with the last of the tip swelling settling over the first year. Your surgeon will guide you through the timeline that fits your own procedure.
Is a nose job the same as rhinoplasty?
Yes. Nose job is the everyday name; rhinoplasty is the surgical one. Both mean an operation to reshape the nose, and a deviated septum can be corrected in the same operation.
What is revision rhinoplasty?
A second operation on a nose that has already been operated on, to correct its shape or its breathing. The rhinoplasty cases on this site’s before-and-after page are open revision rhinoplasty.
Is open or closed rhinoplasty better?
Neither is better in itself: the nose decides. Revision work, a badly deviated framework or a tip that needs substantial rebuilding point to the open approach, and the work underneath is the same either way.
How long is the operation, and do I stay overnight?
One and a half to three hours under general anaesthetic, longer for a revision. You go home the same day or the next morning.
When can I exercise again?
Light exercise from four weeks; work resumes between day 7 and day 14, when the splint comes off.
Why does my nose look swollen and upturned when the splint comes off?
That is expected at this stage. The shape settles over months, and the last tip swelling resolves in the second half of the first year.
How frequently is a revision needed?
1 rhinoplasty in 10 needs a small revision, and the reason is a minor contour issue in the majority of cases. It is discussed before the first operation, not after.
Can I bring photos of noses I like?
Yes, as a starting point for the conversation, never as a target. The aim is a line that belongs to your face.
What can go wrong?
Prolonged swelling of the tip (the commonest cause of early disappointment), numbness of the tip for several months, a small irregularity of the bridge felt more easily than seen, and a small revision in 1 case in 10.
Is rhinoplasty painful?
Rhinoplasty is done under general anaesthetic, so you feel nothing during it. Afterwards the nose is swollen and blocked, bruising peaks in the first week, and a splint sits on the bridge. The surgeon prescribes what to take, and severe pain or any unexpected symptom means calling the clinic at once.
Is rhinoplasty safe?
Every operation carries risks, and they are listed before surgery. They include prolonged swelling of the tip, numbness of the tip for several months, and a small irregularity of the bridge. One rhinoplasty in ten needs a small revision, mostly for a minor contour issue, and this is discussed before the first operation.
At what age can you have rhinoplasty, and who is a good candidate?
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons lists a good candidate as someone whose facial growth is complete, who is physically healthy, does not smoke and has realistic goals. It sets no upper age limit, because health is the criterion. A breathing problem is assessed in the same way as a change of shape.
How much does rhinoplasty in Lebanon cost?
There is no single figure, because no two operations are the same. The cost depends on what is done, how long it takes, the anaesthetic and the hospital. Fees are not advertised, in keeping with the professional rules for doctors in Lebanon; they are discussed in person at the consultation, once the right operation for you is known. What shapes the cost is set out in the cost of plastic surgery in Lebanon.
Further reading
Sources
Published patient information on this procedure, from sources independent of the practice. The plan for your own operation is gone through at the consultation.
Press
In the press
Dr. ElKhoury’s letter in L’Orient-Le Jour, « Docteur, je continue les injections ou je me fais opérer ? » (7 October 2026, in French), sets out what injections can and cannot correct. More press.